The Courage to Love
by WardenMistress
Summary: It's summer time and Tai is becoming increasingly nervous about asking Sora out. Having failed to do so so many times before has him questioning his courage. Will he be able to? Taiora. One shot. Contest story.


Disclaimer: I will never own the digimon characters. They belong to their rightful creators.

Authors Note: A few things you may like to know… I made this according to the Japanese digimon timeline so if Tai and Sora are 17, Hikari, Takeru and Daisuke are about 14. Made this for a Taiora contest.

Also, if you're wondering what manhunt is, it's a game normally played at nighttime. Mimi suggested it since she lived in America. What my friends and I have normally done is, we pick teams. One team hides while the other makes a base and thus they go looking for the other team. If they find you they chase you around and have to tag you while saying "1 2 3 manhunt" Then you're captured and they take you off to their base where your teammates have to come back and get you otherwise lose the game.

Warnings: This is a Taiora fic and slight Takari hints :-p If you don't like either of these couples don't flame me, just read something else more to your liking and don't try to persuade me into not liking the couples I love, it won't work, save your time.

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The Courage to Love

Taichi Yagami, age 17, anxiously stood behind the fence, waiting and watching. The tennis match had just ended and Sora Takenouchi, also age 17, love of his life, was packing up her bag.

After the defeat of MaloMyotismon, his best friend Yamato, hooked up with Sora! Overcome with jealousy, Tai watched the two get closer for almost two years until he finally snapped and burst into Yamato's apartment screaming why Yamato had not noticed that his own best friend was in love with Sora. Yamato hadn't realized this, Tai never mentioned it before. Soon after that Yamato broke up with Sora, telling her that she was still only a friend to him. It wasn't the best plan in the world but nonetheless, Tai was now the one getting closer to Sora, comforting her and helping her. However, his goal still remained out of reach. He didn't want to be a rebound kind of fling with her, he truly loved Sora. So, there he awaited one summer's day to ask her out on a date, though it rather went something like this:

"Hey Sora!" Tai called after she started dawdling too much.

Sora turned, her crimson hair flaring in the summer sun. She was drinking some cool water after the match; she waved at him to show she'd heard.

Tai took this as a sign to go closer, he did so. As he made his way to her, he became increasingly nervous. He'd always chickened out when wanting to ask her out before, how could he break this pattern?

"Hi Tai!" Sora said, picking up her bag but still holding the water bottle. "What's up?"

"I...well that is-" Tai began, stuttering. 'Calm down. Gather your courage. You can do it.' he thought to himself but then, 'She's staring. Say it. Too nervous. SAY IT!'

"Tai? Are you okay?" Sora asked, looking apprehensively at Tai as his battling mind made his face look more and more troubled.

"Sora...I! That is, the others and I wanted to know if you'd go to the beach with us-" He hadn't meant to say that or add in the others, meaning the chosen children, it sort of slipped out of his mouth.

Sora beamed. "The beach? Sure! How about this Saturday?"

And that was how Tai found himself Saturday, sitting in the car waiting for his sister Hikari to join him.

"I can't believe you dragged us along." she teased as she got into the car.

"Oh be quiet." Tai mumbled.

Since he hadn't intended on bringing the others, not all of them could go to the beach. Jyou was practicing for exams, again, Koushiro was at computer camp, Iori at kendo club and Yamato was busy making songs with his band though Tai was very glad at this. Since he would probably have been a distraction to Sora, even if it had been over a year since the split.

---

Ken, Miyako, Daisuke, Takeru and Hikari made for the water right away upon arriving at the beach. Tai, Sora and Mimi set up the blanket, cooler and beach umbrella. Mimi was visiting for the summer and was staying at Sora's place.

Once everyone was settled or splashing in the water, Mimi, Tai and Sora talked a bit about their remaining plans for the summer.

"Well, I really hope you'll move back Mimi." Sora was saying to Mimi.

"Me too! Daddy is getting paid enough now that he could easily afford two houses!" Mimi squealed in delight.

Tai was staring into space wondering what to do about Sora. Mimi gave them a pitying look. Hikari, having bullied Tai into telling her about his feelings for Sora (after suspecting it and finding a picture of her under his pillow that had fallen onto the floor) told Mimi, who also suspected as much, what had happened when Tai had tried asking Sora out. Suddenly inspired, Mimi got up and gave Tai a look.

"What?" he asked, suddenly wary.

"Do either of you want ice cream or lemonade?" she asked sweetly.

"Not really." Tai replied and looked away, still thinking.

"I do." He heard Sora say. After a minute of debating, Mimi insisted to get it for her.

"Okay Tai, now's your chance." Mimi whispered into a surprised Taichi's ear.

"What did she say?" Sora asked as Mimi got up and trotted away.

"Huh? Oh. She said… she might take a while." Tai said, thinking rapidly. They were alone now.

"Oh okay." Sora said, leaning back.

Tai stared at her, totally lost for words. 'She doesn't know what she's doing' Tai thought, 'So tell her.' His brain argued.

"Sora-" Tai leaned forward.

"Hmm?" she turned, looking at him.

"Sora…I-" he looked at her. She always made him lose the words he wanted to say most. 'Do it now!' The other voice urged.

Taking a deep breath, Tai began again. "Sora… I… will you-?" THUD! A volleyball smacked Tai in the back of the head, knocking him flat.

"Tai! You okay?" Sora asked in alarm as an appalled Daisuke hurried over.

"Tai! I'm sorry! Ken nailed it and…" he suddenly looked ashamed.

"No worries." Tai said somewhat out of it. 'Crap. I never saw them leave the water.' He thought as Ken and the others hurried over to check on Tai.

Mimi returned in the midst of all the hullabaloo and accurately guessed that Tai didn't tell her. Feeling slightly exasperated she gave Sora her ice cream and pulled Hikari aside from the others.

"So thanks to Daisuke, Tai just lost his chance right?" Mimi asked just to double check.

"Yeah. What should we do now?" Hikari asked hopelessly.

Mimi, brow furrowed, did some quick thinking. "Let's play manhunt."

"I thought you said that was only played at night?" Hikari asked, gazing towards the setting sun.

"It's almost night. And if we can pair Tai and Sora on the same team.." Mimi trailed off, her eyes sparkling.

"They can hide together!" giggled Hikari.

---

The teams were made. Hikari, Tai, Sora, Takeru V.S Mimi, Miyako, Ken and Daisuke. Daisuke was sulking because he wasn't on Hikari's team and glared competitively at Takeru who merely smirked. The point of this game was to set up Tai and Sora though.

"Okay! You guys go hide while me and the others get ready to look." Mimi commanded. Tai looked at her in surprise but then suddenly noticed Hikari and Takeru running off to hide leaving him with Sora.

"Go on." Mimi winked as she; Miyako and Ken dragged away an enraged Daisuke.

"Should we hide together too?" Sora asked.

"Uh s-sure." Tai said, surprised.

So the two went off to hide somewhere on the beach together.

-An hour later-

'This is suspicious.' Thought Tai. He didn't think that his and Sora's hiding spot along the beach trees was too great but none of the other opposing teammates had found them.

Waiting with Sora for an hour while not talking was even more torturous to Tai than attempting to think of what to say.

"S-should we return to the blanket? What if the others were captured?" Tai whispered finally.

"Yeah" agreed Sora. The blanket was where the others said the base was and would hold the prisoners there. The two crept closer and closer back towards that section of the beach but upon finding the blanket, no one was there, not even a guard for the blanket.

"This is weird. I hope no one's hurt." Sora said worriedly looking around.

"Oh I doubt it." Tai said, his eyes narrowed, "I bet they couldn't find us, gave up and went to get food or something." He plopped down on the blanket. This was an even more convenient plan than before. The sun was now setting and many people had left already.

To his surprise, Sora sat next to him. Tai looked around. No one was around, chosen children or stranger. It was almost eerie. He looked at Sora who was gazing out at the water looking pensive.

"Sora." Tai tried again. This time he gazed out at the water too so he wouldn't get trapped in her gaze that always sealed his mouth and throat shut.

"Yes?" He could feel the gaze on him but was determined not to look at her until his goal was accomplished.

"You and I, we're good friends." He had no idea why he was saying this but felt compelled to do so. Sora remained quiet.

"Sometimes friends remain together forever and sometimes they don't. I think that we'll be together forever." His heart was beating faster and he knew she was probably wondering where he was going with this so he plunged into the dangerous waters.

"And I realized that even good friends may be suited to being more than friends… so I… I wanted to tell you that I…" he couldn't help it, he looked at her.

His heart nearly stopped. There were tears streaming silently down her face. She looked so sad. Had he said something wrong?

"Sora? What?" Tai muttered weakly, feeling utterly bewildered.

"What are you doing to me?" she murmured.

Before he could stop himself, he lifted her face to his. Wiping away the tears, he looked down at the ground and said, "I'm announcing my undying love for you-" he looked up smiling, "Silly."

Then, before he could even be relieved that he'd finally said it, that he had told her, before he could think, he was suddenly kissing Sora. He hadn't planned on doing that. Experiencing her kiss was now more right than he could describe in words. It was utterly perfect. It sealed the deal, in a way.

Sora gazed up into Tai's eyes, thoroughly searching for something she might have overlooked but it was all written on his face. How could she have not seen this? The hidden feelings; the jealousy; the discovered truth.

"I love you too, Tai." She said finally finding her voice. A small grin broke out on his face. He was so happy he didn't feel the need to say anything. He leaned his head slightly on hers and left his hand next to her. She put her hand on his and gazed at him through her lashes.

The two were now sitting on the blanket staring out at the setting sun, which was nearly set. Tai reflected on his tiring day, he felt drained but completely at peace. Without having to say anything, the two silently agreed to pack up the blanket and things. Then, walking hand in hand walked back to the car.

Mimi was waiting at the car, a small satisfied smile on her face.

"Where were you?" Sora demanded, having finally spotted her.

"Oh? Did I forget to look for you two?" Mimi asked slyly. Sora blinked and looked at Tai, who looked skyward.

"What-?" began Sora.

"Congratulations!" rang out almost half a dozen voices. The others jumped out from random hiding spots with their hands in the air, all grinning. Sora glared at Tai.

"What! I didn't TELL her to do this but I… I figured after no one went looking for us that they left us alone on purpose." Tai said in a small voice as Sora continued to glare.

"Well if you had just asked Sora out like you planned to on Thursday-" Hikari began but stopped and glanced at Sora.

"Thursday? When you came to my last tennis match of summer camp and asked me to hang out with the others?" Sora began, looking over at Tai who was now highly embarrassed.

"Yeah, he was too shy to say it would be just you two so we took pity and tried helping him ask you out." Mimi said earnestly.

"Sh-shut up!" Tai growled and started to chase the girls around who continued teasing him. The others laughed as Tai failed to try and catch them to put an end to their wrath.

Sora grinned. "Well I'm glad. Summer has its advantages," she muttered to herself. She turned and took a quick glance at the beach, then back to Tai who had finally given up and turned to the beach again. "It really is kind of a romantic place for an anniversary."

Smiling to herself, she and the others got into the car and headed home. This time she sat up front with Tai, relaxing her head on his shoulder. It was such a nice feeling, she felt happy that she'd now be able to stay like this with Tai for the rest of the summer, the whole year and forever.

The End!

(A/N: Sorry for such a lame ending! I wrote this on paper at around 3 or 4 in the morning when inspiration hit so it might be a little corny. I haven't written in a while either so please excuse spelling errors and misuse of all my commas.)


End file.
